Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — De'Vion Harmon scored 22 points and Oklahoma beat No. 9 Kansas 75-68 for its second victory this month over a top-10 opponent. Oklahoma has won three of its last four games against Kansas in Norman. Oklahoma also defeated then-No. 9 West Virginia on Jan. 2. Kansas entered the game coming off losses at Oklahoma State and No. 2 Baylor. It now has lost three straight games for the first time in nearly eight years. Marcus Garrett had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks, who were limited to two offensive rebounds. Jalen Wilson added 13 points for Kansas.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xavier Pinson scored 27 points to lead No. 19 Missouri to a 73-64 road victory over No. 6 Tennessee. Pinson became the first opponent to score more than 20 points against the Volunteers this season. Dru Smith added 18 for the Tigers, who improved to 10-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC. Yves Pons paced Tennessee with 20 points. Victor Bailey and Josiah-Jordan James each scored 12 for the Volunteers, who have lost their last two games to fall to 10-3 overall and 4-3 in the SEC. Tennessee played without freshman standout Jaden Springer, who missed the game with an ankle injury.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Denzel Mahoney scored 20 points and 11th-ranked Creighton broke open a close game in the last 10 minutes to beat No. 23 Connecticut 74-66. The Bluejays struggled offensively while losing their previous two games but shot 58% in the second half and avoided their first three-game losing streak since February 2019. R.J. Cole scored 14 points and freshman Adama Sanogo had a season-high 13 to lead UConn. The Huskies played their fourth straight game without scoring leader James Bouknight, who is recovering from elbow surgery.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Miles McBride scored 18 points to help No. 14 West Virginia beat Kansas State 69-47 on Saturday in the Mountaineers' first game in two weeks because of COVID-19 protocols. Jalen Bridges added 12 points and Taz Sherman had 10 for West Virginia. Mike McGuirl led Kansas State with 15 points, and Selton Miguel had 10. The Wildcats had 28 turnovers, the most by a Big 12 team this season and the most in a game under coach Bruce Weber. West Virginia scored 26 points off those mistakes. The Wildcats got within eight points in the second half, but Sherman hit a two 3-pointers in an 8-0 run for West Virginia.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ten years after firing Sean McDermott as his defensive coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid will stare across the field inside Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday and see his protégé trying to spoil his hopes of a Super Bowl repeat. That's because McDermott has Buffalo playing in its first AFC title game since beating Kansas City on Jan. 23, 1994, when the Bills advanced to their fourth consecutive Super Bowl. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes appears to be poised to play after sustaining a concussion last week, setting up a tantalizing matchup with Bills counterpart Josh Allen.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Charli Collier had 22 points and 19 rebounds, and Texas pulled away in the third quarter and beat No. 24 Iowa State 70-59, snapping the Cyclones' four-game winning streak. Texas (11-3, 5-2 Big 12) has won three of four to end a two-game road losing streak that helped knock the Longhorns out of the Top 25, and swept the season series against Iowa State (10-5, 6-2). Collier collected her nation-leading 10th double-double of the season. The Longhorns pulled away with a 14-0 run and led 52-37 with 2:57 remaining in the third quarter. Ashley Joens scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half to lead Iowa State.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Max Abmas had 21 points as Oral Roberts edged past Kansas City 60-58. Brandon McKissic led the Roos with 20 points.
Update on the latest sports
T25 MEN'S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Oklahoma beats No. 9 Kansas
UNDATED (AP) — Ninth-ranked Kansas finds itself in the the midst of its first three-game losing streak in almost eight years.
The Jayhawks absorbed a 75-68 loss to Oklahoma, the Sooners' second win this month over a top-10 opponent. De'Vion Harmon provided 22 points for the Sooners, who have won three of their last four meetings with the Jayhawks in Norman.
Austin Reaves scored all 16 of his points after halftime, including a pair of free throws down the stretch. Oklahoma went 8-for-8 from the line in the final 1:36 to wrap up the win.
Marcus Garrett had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks, who were limited to two offensive rebounds. Jalen Wilson added 13 points for Kansas.
In other top-25 action Saturday:
— Top-ranked Gonzaga is 15-0 after Drew Timme (TIH'-mee) provided 22 points and seven rebounds in a 95-49 laugher against Pacific. Corey Kispert chipped in 16 points and seven boards for the Bulldogs, who opened the second half on a 17-4 run to take a 44-point lead.
— Jared Butler pumped in 22 points and second-ranked Baylor improved to 14-0 by beating Oklahoma State, 81-69 at Stillwater. Butler was 6 of 7 from 3-point range, leaving him 13 of 16 in his last two games.
— Collin Gillespie and Justin Moore scored 15 points apiece as No. 3 Villanova rolled to a 71-56 win against Providence and improved to 10-1. The Wildcats led by just three before opening the second half on a 26-11 run.
— Xavier Pinson furnished 27 points to lead No. 19 Missouri to a 73-64 victory over sixth-ranked Tennessee. Pinson became the first opponent to score more than 20 points against the Volunteers this season.
— Eighth-ranked Houston won its sixth in a row by getting 15 points apiece from Marcus Sasser and Quentin Grimes in a 68-51 win at Temple. They each hit three 3s and Grimes had nine rebounds for the 13-1 Cougars.
— E.J. Liddell scored 20 points and 15th-ranked Ohio State never trailed in a 74-62 victory over No. 10 Wisconsin at Madison. The Badgers were 7-for-28 from beyond the arc in allowing the Buckeyes to beat a top-15 team for the third straight road game.
— Denzel Mahoney dropped in 20 points and 11th-ranked Creighton shot 58% in the second half to pull away in a 74-66 win against No. 23 Connecticut. Marcus Zegarowski scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half and Damien Jefferson added 12 as the Bluejays halted a two-game skid.
— Sam Hauser scored 11 of his 22 points during a 15-2, second-half run that allowed 13th-ranked Virginia to escape with a 64-62 triumph over Georgia Tech. Kihei (KEE'-hay) Clark was shut out before nailing a jumper that broke a 62-all tie with 69 seconds to play.
— Miles McBride scored 18 and No. 14 West Virginia turned 28 Kansas State turnovers into 26 points for a 69-47 drubbing of the Wildcats. Jalen Bridges finished with 12 points and Taz Sherman 10 in the Mountaineers' first game in two weeks because of COVID-19 protocols.
— Herbert Jones had 17 points and seven assists to guide streaking Alabama to an 81-73 decision over Mississippi State. Freshman guard Joshua Primo scored 16 points for the 18th-rated Crimson Tide, who have won nine in a row and are 8-0 in the SEC for the first time since 1986-87.
— Syracuse pulled off an upset as Quincey Guerrier delivered 20 points and Mark Doelzaj chipped in 20 to lead a 78-60 thumping of No. 16 Virginia Tech. Orange forward Alan Griffin had 15 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks for his fourth double-double of the season.
— Maryland beat a ranked Big Ten foe on the road for the third time this season as Eric Ayala had 21 points and three steals in a 63-49 stifling of No. 17 Minnesota. Donta Scott added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Terrapins, who've three conference wins have come against 10th-ranked Wisconsin, 22nd-rated Illinois and the Golden Gophers.
— Florida State hammered No. 20 Clemson, 80-61 as Balsa Koprivica (koh-prih-VEET'-suh) had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Sardaar Calhoun added a career-best 13 points for the 9-2 Seminoles, who used an early 15-2 run to take control in their fourth win in a row.
— Abdul Alatishe had 14 points and 15 rebounds in Oregon State's 75-64 upset at No. 21 Oregon. Beavers guard Ethan Thompson led all scoring with 19 points.
— Oscar da Silva scored off an inbound pass as time expired in overtime to lift Stanford over No. 24 UCLA. 73-72. Da Silva finished with 26 points in helping the Cardinal deal the Bruins their first conference loss.
PANDEMIC OUTBREAK-MICHIGAN ATHLETICS
Wolverines stop athletic competition
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's highly-ranked basketball programs are on hiatus, as is the rest of the athletic department.
The school has been told to pause all sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Department of Health and Human Services issued the mandate Saturday, with the school saying it follows positive COVID-19 tests for several individuals linked to the athletic department.
They had the new variant that transmits at a higher rate. The entire department could be in quarantine for two weeks.
The 11th-ranked women's basketball team was set to play at home against Purdue on Sunday. The seventh-ranked men's basketball team wasn't supposed to play until Wednesday at Penn State.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Davis, Lakers have fun in Windy City
UNDATED (AP) — Anthony Davis made another enjoyable return to his hometown while helping the Los Angeles Lakers move to the top of the NBA's overall standings.
The Lakers are 13-4 overall and 9-0 on the road after Davis pumped in a season-high 37 points on 14 of 21 shooting in a 101-90 win at Chicago. Davis scored 26 points in the highest scoring half by a Laker this season as Los Angeles grabbed a 63-33 lead.
LeBron James added 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Lakers' eighth straight win over the Bulls.
Checking out Saturday's other NBA action:
— It's now an eight-game winning streak for the Jazz after Donovan Mitchell's 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists highlighted a 127-108 romp over the Warriors. Mike Conley scored 17 points and hit five 3s for Utah, which led by 30 at halftime and opened a 40-point bulge early in the fourth quarter.
— Joel Embiid (joh-EHL' ehm-BEED') dropped in 33 points, grabbed 14 boards and hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left to secure the 76ers' 114-110 verdict over the Pistons. Ben Simmons added 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Eastern Conference leaders.
— Kevin Durant poured in 31 points and Kyrie Irving added 28 as the Nets topped the Heat, 128-124. James Harden finished with 12 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds as the Nets won for the first time with their three superstars playing together.
— Eric Gordon delivered a season-high 33 points and DeMarcus Cousins had his best game for Houston in a 133-108 thrashing of the Mavericks. Cousins finished with 28 points and 17 rebounds, while John Wall had seven points and eight assists after missing five straight games with right knee soreness.
— Denver and Phoenix played extra basketball for the second straight day before the Nuggets prevailed, 120-112 in double-overtime. Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 22 rebounds for the Nuggets, who forced overtime on Jamal Murray's difficult 3-pointer as regulation expired.
— Naz Reid contributed 20 points to lead a balanced offensive effort in the Timberwolves' 120-110 downing of the Pelicans. Anthony Edwards scored 18 points and Jared Vanderbilt set career highs with 16 points and 11 rebounds in Minnesota's first win in five games.
NFL-NEWS
Packers elevate CB Williams to active roster for game day
UNDATED (AP) — The Green Bay Packers have elevated recent cornerback acquisition Tramon Williams to their active roster for Sunday's NFC championship game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The move Saturday comes two days after the Packers announced they had signed Williams to their practice squad. The 37-year-old Williams was waived by the Ravens on Monday, two days after their 17-3 AFC divisional playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Williams previously played for the Packers from 2007-14 and 2018-19
MLB-NEWS
Springer, Blue Jays finalize $150M, 6-year contract
UNDATED (AP) — All-Star outfielder George Springer has finalized his $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the most prominent free agent to reach an agreement this offseason.
The 31-year-old Springer received the largest deal in team history, topping outfielder Vernon Wells' $126 million, seven-year contract in 2006. Springer had spent his entire seven-season career with Houston and was the World Series MVP when the Astros beat the Dodgers in seven games for their first title in 2017.
Springer hit .265 with 14 homers and 32 RBIs during the shortened 2020 season.
In other MLB news:
— The Cubs have finalized a $1.5 million, one-year contract with catcher Austin Romine (ROH'-myn).
— The Astros have traded left-hander Cionel Pérez to the Reds for minor league catcher Luke Berryhill. The 24-year-old Pérez pitched seven games in relief last season, going 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Blue Jackets win after dealing unhappy Dubois
UNDATED (AP) — The Columbus Blue Jackets knocked off the reigning Stanley Cup champs on Saturday, hours after dealing their most dynamic forward.
Elvis Merzlikens stopped 30 shots and the Blue Jackets scored three times in the first period of their win over the Lightning, 5-2. Nick Foligno (foh-LEE'-noh), Mikhail Grigorenko (grih-gah-REHN'-koh) and Vladislav Gavrikov (GAV'-rih-kahv) provided first-period goals, with Foligno beating Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV'-skee) 17 seconds after Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman opened the scoring early in the contest.
The Jackets played hours after sending disgruntled center Pierre-Luc Dubois (doo-BWAH") to the Jets for forward Patrik Laine (LY'-nay) and Jack Roslovic. Dubois and Laine had been seeking trades.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron (pah-TREES' BEHR-zhuh-rahn) had two goals apiece for the Bruins in their first lopsided win of the season, 6-1 over the Flyers. Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith each had a goal and an assist in the second period to break open a 1-1 tie.
— Torey Krug notched his first St. Louis goal and David Perron added a goal and an assist, in a 4-2 victory over the Kings. Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots and moved to 3-1-1.
— Corey Perry scored in his Canadiens debut and Montreal finished 4-0-2 on their season-opening road trip by besting the Canucks, 5-2. Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher, Jonathan Drouin (DROO'-ehn) and Joel Edmundson also tallied to support Carey Price's 350th career win.
— The Jets scored for unanswered goals in the third period to double up the Senators, 6-3. Andrew Copp sandwiched his two goals around Paul Stastny's game-winner with 4:15 remaining.
In other NHL news:
— Stars captain Jamie Benn missed practice a day after his right leg buckled during a collision in Friday's season-opening rout of the Predators. Coach Rick Bowness says Benn is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
GOLF-TOURNAMENTS
3-way tie at AmEx
UNDATED (AP) — Max Homa made nine birdies and shrugged off a double bogey on the way to a 7-under 65 in the third round of The American Express, joining Tony Finau (FEE'-now) and Si Woo Kim atop the leaderboard at 15-under 201.
Homa is in prime position for his second career win in his first tournament of the new year after starting the round three off the lead.
Richy Werenski also shot a 65 and moved within a shot of the lead on the Stadium Course at PGA West near Palm Springs.
In other golf tournaments:
— Danielle Kang tied her career low with an 8-under 63 and protected her lead in the LPGA's Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Jessica Korda had a spectacular day, shooting a 28 on the back nine for an 11-under 60 that's one shot off the LPGA Tour scoring mark. Korda is two shots back.
— Darren Clarke won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship by two strokes for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory. He played the back nine in 6 under in closing 8-under 64 for a 21-under total. Retief Goosen (reh-TEEF' GOO'-sehn) closed with a 64 to finish second.